18 posts from month 08/2017

I am happy to announce the launch of my new Youtube Channel, Your Mental Health Matters, where we will be discussing and sharing information on a variety of topics mental health realted. I am very excited about going on this journey with you and doing our part in ending the stigma that surrounds mental illness. Subscribe today!

One of the worse things about my anxiety was that it kept me convinced that there was something medically wrong with me, that I was going to die unexpectedly at any point from a horrible illness, without warning. I remember that as a kid there would be nights where I would be terrified of going to sleep at night, thinking that if I closed my eyes, when I opened them in the morning I would be blind, never able again to see the light.
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There are so many times that we put ourselves down based on what others say or think of us. We become eternal slaves of the opinions of others, and when we look in the mirror every morning we don't see the person we are, we see the painted lines of the brush strokes of others, who carelessly attempt to put us together without really knowing us. We need to stop this type of behavior because it is counterproductive and can actually cause us real damage. When we look in the mirror we have to ...

Sometimes when I look at the reading on the screen of a heart monitor on an EKG machine, I am reminded of the ups and downs that life itself hits us constantly with. Throughout our short existence we are confronted with difficult situations that sometimes seem to appear out of nowhere. In contrast, other times we are surprised by things and events that we would never imagine could actually happen. For example, this past Wednesday a 53-year-old woman won a 758.7 million Power Ball Lottery jackpot, the second biggest in lottery history. I am also sure (although I don’t have specific details) that around the general time that this woman celebrated her incredible win (probably still in shock), there was more than one person around the world receiving very difficult news, not to mention those people that found themselves in situations that completely altered their lives, and, in the worst cases, even ended them.
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Being the resident of a psychiatric hospital for a period can definitely bring some perspective to your life, and it was all I needed at the time, perspective. I had been focused on and so overwhelmed by the darkness that I lost all sense of true self; the awareness that I needed a significant shift in perspective, in order to get better.

Back then my life was that of a full-time pill junkie and alcoholic. I didn’t have a job because I couldn’t keep one, I had no money because I didn’t have a job, and whatever pennies I could scrape up were invested in drugs and alcohol. My wife of five years got fed up and walked out the door never to return, she took our one car and our pets. I was left with nothing, I was nothing. My parents were convinced I was going to die; having nothing else left I dedicated myself to my self-destructive vices.
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We all do it, some of us do it quite a lot, and it can actually affect our routines and the quality of our lives. Procrastination can be a difficult habit to get rid of, but it can actually be quite an easy issue to deal with. As someone with procrastination problems, I decided to do a quick video to share with you what helped me overcome my own lazy tendencies, and how you can do it too. Here is How to Stop Procrastinating:

I have struggled with Anxiety for a very long time, so long that I don’t remember when I first noticed a problem. Through my years at school I slowly changed from a kid that loved drama class to a child that could barely put his hand to ask a question. By the time I got into University I had been formally diagnosed with Anxiety, and it had become a real problem. I spent half my first year sat at the back of my lectures so no-one would notice me. Presentations were a panic attack that I knew would come, but couldn’t do anything about it.
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Depression is messy. Sometimes you lose track of your last shower, even your last meal. Sometimes the world is spinning faster than you can handle, sometimes slower. You are trying to push yourself to get out of the hole and do something, but you don’t even know where to start. I know, because that was me some years back. But working hard and doing my best to maintain a steady routine helped me, and it can also help you in your fight against depression. Here are some basic routine points that will help you get on track and stay there.
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I had a challenging time with this chapter at the beginning. I wanted to convey the feeling that I initially had when I first walked into the psychiatric floor, but I didn't want it to sound like a horror movie or a fantasy novel. My intention was to put the reader in my shoes, to make them feel what I felt; the fear, how uncomfortable I felt walking in such alien territory, per say. Here is a brief excerpt of the beginning of the chapter, which I hope gives you a thirst for wanting to learn ...

So many of us struggle through life because we are never taught the basics of success. We just left our illnesses and mental deficiencies overwhelm us becuase no one ever tells us that we are stronger than them. I am here today to tell you that you are, and no matter the circurmstance to you push forward and achieve whatever you want. Here is a video that will explain exactly how.